Wednesday, February 23, 2011

[gita-talk] Re: How to overcome the sexual thoughts (KAMA)?

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY ! THIS BRINGS CLOSURE TO THIS TOPIC! thank you all! GITA TALK MODERATORS, RAM RAM ------------------------------------------------

Namaste devotees!

Question: How to overcome the sexual thoughts (KAMA)?

S.A ------------------------------------------------

Dear Sadhakas, namaste! Since extension is granted, here is my understanding which has helped me in the area of non-stop thoughts of any and all kind!

Can one overcome any thought, let alone sexual ones? Do we choose our thoughts as an individual or they come to us like weather comes, uninvited?

If we can choose our thoughts, why not to choose happy or no- thoughts! But we all know we cannot as an individual! This is because as long as we see the arising thoughts as our own personal thoughts, we will continue to control them and not get anywhere. Even a few lines of a song we suddenly remember we liked once, keeps on repeating on and on, all day long, and we cannot stop.

Thoughts arise out of our conditioning(likes and dislikes etc) when sense organs come in contact with their respective objects, (sound for hearing, forms for seeing etc). If we take these arising as universal - cosmic design and not personal just to haunt us, then one may see thoughts lose its power to knock us down. By welcoming all thoughts, being a Witnessing Presence, thoughts will seem like clouds in the SKY THAT WE ARE! At this point desires expressed by such thoughts become Impersonal, Benevolent, Creative, and find magical ways to tune them to play in Grand Symphony conducted by God, the Master Conductor! Peace reins there!

Such impersonal desires arise from our true nature and goes on creating what it sees appropriate! That's how we "feel the Urge to feel the presence of Omnipotent Lord in ourselves." This is what Bimalenduji may be implying by saying " May be a newer domain of Kama." Pratap Bhatt

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No more long explanations Covert KAMA to RAMA will do it all Thanx Raja Gurdasani

No onions, garlic, eggs, meat product, sea food. Pure Vegetarian meals which are filling and light at the same time. Then it will be easier after 120 days to replace Kama with Krshna Chirag Hari Bol ----------------------------------------------

Dear Sadhakas, Namaskar

Sexual thinking is a normal function of a normal and healthy human body.

Animals do sex only as a natural instinct during their reproductive stage. Male will mate a female who is on heat and after she conceives, no male will approach her for mating. After the reproductive stage, animals have no desire for sex, they need only food and shelter.

But humans are altogether different. sex is only for pleasure by healthy and wealthy humans, after one or two kids, reproduction is not the intention. So, sexual thinking or KAMA is always present. Brain is a switchless computer. It will be thinking about something all the time. Sexual thoughts will come and go without causing any harm to you.

just replace the thought with krishna, but how one can do it. by satsang, it automatically goes there. this is my personal view.

Ashok Gupta

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Namaste devotees,

My opinion would be to pick up something higher thing in life, then this automatically goes away effortlessly. If you want to seriously leave something, then it is a burden in your thought. Any desire, if it is appropriately attained, it is not adharmic. When you start reflecting on Good/God/service to people, then you will have no time to think anything. And more so, do not feel guilty about anything. Just be normal, and be natural to yourself.

Vaidehi Subramani

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Pranam Sadhakas, Rather an interesting insertion it was - no doubt! But one that inflates my mind is an otherwise reverse -replete. I feel Kama is the driving force for newer creation and to maintain a linkage-to which mankind is committed to. Unless there be any sense /perception of voidness from within how can there be the urge to rediscover the alter -ego in human being-already there in some other manifestations ? How one should feel the Urge to feel the presence of Omnipotent Lord in ourselves ? It is also a kind of unique search of our inner selves that does lead to discovering the presence of Supreme & peerless God in ourselves ? May be a newer domain of Kama. I 'd request you to spare a thought on that. Pronam to e...veryone. Yours Bimalendu Nath ---------------------------------------------------

Kaama ... desire ... fear ... living ... salvation.

All acts are craves ... even the worship ... till the participation chases the desire for existence.

All actions are mundane ... even the worship ... till the fear of mortality drives the participation.

All acts are noble ... sex is no exception ... once nobility drives the participation.

All actions are divine ... sex is no exception ... once divinity presides the perception.

The crave behind all acts make them appear as Kaama ... desire. The resulting dependency on the desire make the same fear ...

One should be cognizant of the invaluably significant role that desire and fear play in one's living. Till the fellow intends to live, one has to depend on the fear-desire-emotion cluster with no exception. Also, one ought to respect one's intention to live as well ... afterall, one is born only to live! Therefore, I would not recommend anyone to develop any aversion toward the desires and fears while one still intend to live. Any such aversion while the fellow still craves to live is hypocritical.

On the other hand, succumbing to the urges for desires and shivers of fears from within is suicidal as one slays oneself under the sway of emotional tides that the two galavanize in each other's association. Then one looses one's original intention of living as well ... one remains dead under the tremor all through one's living! The very survival instinct (desire-fear-emotion cluster) defies the very survival as a result.

Therefore, one has to learn how to live since that was the original agenda to take birth in the first place. To live in full, one should learn how to ride the emotional tides rather than getting swayed away under the same. To ride the emotional tides successfully, one should learn the nature of desire and fear at their core enabling oneself to drive them rather than being dragged by the same.

Therefore, one should not fear their desires and covet their fears either. At the same time, one should not loathe one's fears and adore one's desires either.

Only one who understands one's desires and fears closely can ever drive one's desires and fears.

One who drives one's desires and fears will verily ride along one's emotions.

One who rides over one's emotional waves of existence will verily live in full.

One who lives in full alone is capable of driving the desires and fears to their very end rather than letting them drive oneself to one's own end.

One who transcends the fear of mortality alone can be IMMORTAL in all respects.

Respects. Naga Narayana. ---------------------------------------

Shree Hari Ram Ram These thoughts come, and they go away. They do not remain. These thoughts are not in you. Therefore, keep your sight (drishti) on the your Self (swayam) or God. Do not blend with that which comes or goes. This is liberation. To blend with that which comes and goes, the changing states and situations is nothing but bondage. Whereas, remaining apart is liberation. So simple, so straightforward are Swamiji's messages. Simply DO NOT ACCEPT THESE THOUGHTS IN YOU. You will see the magic. Meera Das, Ram Ram

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Varunji,

That is perfectly correct. The symbiotic relation between the wanter (the void) and the want (desire) do snowball on each other ... attract their similar kind perpetually ... only to bloat larger and larger all the time. You are very right ... they fuel each other, nurture each other and devour each other exponentially. The ego-desire union is like that ...

Thanks for your reflections ...

Respects.

Naga Narayana.

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Namaste You've got to ask yourself: WHY do you want to overcome the sexual thoughts? Is Sex bad? Evil? What if married people entertain sexual thoughts? One would think it is fine for some people to have sexual thoughts while it is forbidden for some. Ram Ram Deosaran Bisnath

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Dear Gita-member, AS,

You can overcome your "sexual thoughts" if you can "tranform your thoughts from physical thoughts to non-physical-thoughts (god/higher-powers/source)". Here is how you do it: at your thinking level, say mentally "Jai Ma, Jai Ma (Mata Vaishno Devi)" or "Jai Hanuman, Jai Hanumna" or "Jai Krishna, Jai Krishna". Satrting slowly, you try to go when you can be doing it for many hours a day. You can overcome all your physiacl thoughts in about 6-9 months.

This will not change your sexual-life.

Best of luck. Bye!

Notesh Otes ----------------------------------------------

Any answer giving a suggestion is or will be false and hypocrisy. No one has conquered Sexual instigation except the mythological character Siva. Kaama dahana Karunaakara Limgam. In any case Kumaara Sambhavam is metaphoric AND SYMBOLIC, not fact. Perversion is different from normal sexual instigation. Trouble is with such perverted sexual fantacies. They are the responsibility of the society. As a unit society has to outcaste such cravings. It is natural to have a sexual desire. Quench it by appropriate means and take care that it does not turn into perversion. Let it remain Dharma Aviruddha Kaama (see 7.11 of BG Krishna. ------------------------------------------------

Hari Om

I would not prefer to deal with this specific Question with general term 'desires'. Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj once said that for a human to renounce attraction for opposite sex is very difficult, as compared to other desires, because the desire for physical union (woman / Kamini) is deeply enbedded. He stated that this desire exists very very deeply in a human.

Reason may be that even Prakruti needs this desire to exist at deeper level so as to ensure continuation of shrishti chakra ( births). Every Jeeva has this desire strongly. Strong vairagya (dispassion) may be one way to overcome such thoughts/desire.

Do not look lustfully at the breasts and navel region of a woman ! This body is full of hateworthy flesh, blood, and similar impurities...think , think by your mind again and again on these lines.

Said Lord Rama in Yoga Vashishtha:

In the string tossed bodily cage of the puppet doll of flesh , endowed with muscles , bones and joints of a woman ( or a man) , what good is possibly there? See if it is pleasing after separating the skin, flesh, blood, tears, eyes etc; why are you deluded in vain?

So to my little mind, Dear Sadhaks, I see the solution in strong VAIRAGYA and surrender to Him ...call out loudly...Save me O Lord...Please !!!

Swamiji Ramsukhdasji Maharaj once said that after deciding firmly ('accepting') that He would never touch a female, once He had a dream . In the dream He was in a crowded temple doing puja, crowd including both males and females ..! He said that in dream also He was worried ( careful) that He should not touch a female !!

You ought to be that careful, Divine Sadhaks, to overcome such desire.

Jai Shree Krishna

Vyas N B

------------------------------------------- This is a difficult but important question esspecially for house-holders; They constantly live with the opposite sex and Budhha says 'Kameshu Mithychara' or illicit sex should be avoided. Geeta says ' Dharma Viruddho Bhuteshu, Kamosmi Bharatarshbha,means any sex which is not against religious injunction is permissible mainly to neutralise the impulse and consequent thoughts; Mahavira or Jain injuction is ' Swa-Dara Santosh Pardara Gaman Viramane'. So with as much restraint as possible, if desire for sex is satisfied with one's own wife, sexual thoughts remain within reasonable limits.Suppression is not the answer. In Jain tradition, all householders are advised to have 'Ayambil' penance for one week twice in the year mainly to keep sexual thoughta and action under voluntary control. During this week, house-holder which includes mail and female have to take only one meal during the day and that too without usual taste of spices, salt, ghee, oil etc. Control of food also brings these thoughts under control. Gandhiji in his Auto-Biography on Chapters of Brahmacharya has written from his experience that control of palate is effective means of controlling sex desire including thoughts. During 'Ayambil' week and similarly Hindus during 'Chaturmasa' observe control of palate as well as hunger and this practice is accompanied with congregational hearing of Discourses either from Scriptures or from Holy masters, which reminds me of famous verse from Bhagwad-Geeta ' Abhyasen to Kointeya, Vairagyen cha Grihyate. This means mind which also includes sexual thoughts and consequent action can be disciplined and then controlled by the twin agency of control on food and contemplatting on destructive power of such thoughts. Personally, I have always contemplated on woman as 'Divine Mother' and meditated that I should become worthy of touching her feet and constant thinking on these lines has now become so automatic that as soon as I see a woman - beautiful or ugly,young or old, a reflux action automatically taakes place to touch her feet with humility. It has worked. I have also avoided news paper supplements on Cinema showing women in ugly pose as well as advertisements from jewellers of similar type. All these have helped me to purify my mind and restore my health to such an extent that even at the age of 85, I am healthy without any Medical Problem. This or any such exercise is absolutely necessary for house-holders to grow spiritually. Jayantilal Shah

------------------------------------------- Thoughts come and go all the time.....

1. Just witness thoughts like watching a TV and see them pass by.....all types of thoughts pass.....just be aware....it is called mindfulness.....and a very powerful technique to attain no thought space...

2. One can replace a thought by another thought......

3. One can just tell oneself (self Hypnosis) that I do not want this thought......and the thought may go away and may be replaced by other thoughts...

The above are well tried means of purifying the mind....to go to higher levels of consciousness.... Experiment, practice and enjoy the results......best wishes

Sushil Jain ----------------------------------------

-Shree Hari-

Namaste!

In animals, sex pheromones indicate the availability of the female for breeding. Male animals may also emit pheromones that convey information about their species and genotype. (Ex wikipedia). <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genotype> Then there is the visual stimulus, and the subtle body language. So a young healthy person has much to deal with, it is part of nature!

There are a few tricks, I worked for four years with a young attractive woman who was my assistant, she in my my mind was little sister, I had the older brother mind re this person, the point I am making is you do not have to block you thoughts of kaama, just deflect them. So do not be a slave to your thoughts, learn to deflect. The Sufi Saint Radh Rohan Lal, informed his disciple Mrs Tweedie that if the sexual energy was dead then his method of liberation does not work. Mrs Tweedie was a late middle aged widow, who had no desire for sex, but the energy was there. (I hasten to add that this was not a come by this Saint). The whole concept was to turn this energy from a downwards movement to an upwards movement, through the heart chakra. I know through a Buddhist/Toast ex colleague of mine they also recognize this, and in my T'ai Chi lineage, this is recogized as a healing of the spirit within.

Om ... Shanti ...

Mike. -----------------------------------------

Ram Ram

Respected Nagaji,

Thank you for the enlightening article !! "Self-vigilance is the key" I got it.

You said "Desire generates a feeling of emptiness within". I think it is the feeling of emptiness and void within which generates desire and this desire increases the feeling of void exponentially. What you say?

Thanks, Varun

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Why should one drop Kaama?

Kaama does not limit to sexual thoughts ï¿½ in fact Kaama means "desire" ï¿½ any desire is Kaama ï¿½ be it sexual or else. The suggestion is to drop the desire categorically. One has to understand why desire has to be dropped in the first place.

The desire (Kaama) has a unique effect ï¿½ it generates a feeling of emptiness within. The fellow feels lacking something that is essential for one's very existence. That is THE MISERY ï¿½ no one can withstand a feeling of incompleteness within. The desire triggers this sentiment with quite a precision. The fellow infested with a desire is helpless but to seek how to fill the void that the desire creates within. The desire (Kaama) also has a unique property. It is quenched only with an emotional feeling of "having" its target! The void it generates rather the void it really is has to be filled to bring in a feeling of completeness, in other words, contentment.

On the other hand, the desirer (Kaami) has a unique limitation - he/she does not have any storage where anything can be held within! So the fellow develops dependency (though it pretends a kind of ownership in vain) on mind that generates a chain of thoughts in an effort to assure the fellow of "having". But, the mind does not have its own room either ... the thoughts drain away from it as soon as they raise. The mind develops dependency (again wrongly expressed as a notion of ownership trickled down from 'its owner') on the body as it can presumably store the images of thoughts in its repository of brain. But the body (brain) cannot hold any object ... it can only hold only images ... but the images get distorted and worn out as the body ages! The body develops dependency (again wrongly expressed as an act of ownership inherited from 'its prdecessor') on the world around as if to replenish its imagery consistently.

Therefore, one fails to fill the void within in spite of the infinitude of thoughts and actions one keeps exerting seeking out in the world around. The world around being aloof of the void within cannot do anything ... rather it need not do anything as well. The fellow being burnt from within is incapable of filling the void as such. The desire succeeds to safegaurd its forte of existence - the void within. As a result, the ignorant fellow has lost the freedom as well being bound to the world around to extract the notion of filling the void. The fellow feeling incomplete from within and bound from around suffers. Therefore, one has to drop the desire from within ... to be complete from within ... and to be free around.

When all the desires swarming the person from within are let go, one is destined to be free as such. The Freedom established within surely flushes the void - the hive of desires - completely establishing one to THE COMPLETENESS one truly is.

How one could drop Kaama?

But how to drop the desires ï¿½ the void within seem to be so strongly protected ... the desires seem to keep pouring out from somewhere! Till the source of the desires is shut, one cannot drop the desires. Therefore, one needs to address the source of the desires as soon as a desire crops up. As RamaNa Maharshi says, keep your focus on the kindle of the sandle stick that that pours out the fragrant smoke rather than being swayed by the smoke that swirls around to fill the room. The desires are like the fragrant smoke that cannot be traced as it disperses away into the whole space around. Therefore, one needs to focus on the kindle that originates the same ... the individual ... the ego. Therefore, catch yourself whenever you entertain a desire and question why did you entertain the desire ever? Then, you may see the uselessness of the very desire and cut the knot you have tied with the same ... to let it go ...

Therefore, my dear friend, catch yourself as soon as you intend for progeny ï¿½ face yourself as you engage in the act of progeny ï¿½ interrogate yourself as you are mesmerised by your progeny ï¿½ teach yourself when you are entangled in your very progeny. You address yourself prior to your progeny (desires). Again, do not be fool yourself to limit your progeny to any particular category ï¿½ the ego is cleverer than you ever thought ... its only intention is to copulate with the world in one way or the other. Therefore, truthful self-vigilence is the only fool-proof way to drop the desires.

Respects.

Naga Narayana.

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Dear Sadaks, First if your age if less than 50, your body chemistry will work on your desires created by thoughts, emotions and food. In Geetha Bagavan says, withdrawing from Adharmic sexual/emotional thoughts is itself Tapas of Mind. Same time I have seen a sanyasin Vasista cave near Rishikesh engaged in sex with someone wife. Christianity says, Thou shall not cast eyes on neighbor wife. Hindu Dharma says, seeing with lust on someone wife leads to hell where you will be given a copper heated doll of the lady (Neighbor NOT your wife) you liked, to embrace and suffer with burns. Reference from Bagavath. There are young people who totally refrained from sex and emotions. It is blessings. It is because of their Body chemistry. Three Gunas said in Geetha are based on this chemistry. Food plays a very great role. Another way to input the mind away from sex, is think of flesh (Goat or sheep) hanging in a meat shop. Then tell the mind that your are playing with flesh for flesh satisfaction and how ignorant you are. Commonly seen on road side is, a dog and bitch (Lady Dog) engaged in sex. Normally many dislike. But then tell the mind you are doing the same in closed shelter and turn the mind on divine lectures and sat sangh. Another message said in our Sastras- This body is of 9 holes- Nava Dwara Puri. Escape from this you will see GOD. Sri Krisha or Sri Rama had children. But they had perfect Gyan about householder life. Say if one does sex with his wife on Ekadasi Day, and if the woman conceives, the child born will be like demon. Even to have sex with wife there are perfect rules laid down. B.Sathyanarayan ------------------------------------

A thing of beauty is joy,but sensual sight is lust for most of us.A view of beauty generates plesant feelings,but sensual sights just overwhelm our mind if samskar disciplines are low or missing.Meditation and listening to enlightening sermons help moderate thoughts and perversions.Vegetarians diet and proper disciplines in life too help. subhashtewari

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Even after reading and hearing anything, when "sensuous desires" comes infront of you, then it drags you down. If this is the dilemma, then a simple, easy solution is - make your enemy your friend. In other words, whenever "sensual desire" are troubling you, and when the sensuos object is also present and available, then take that sensuous one and begin to sing and chant the glories of the Lord. It is not possible that you will not succeed in this. Speaking from experience. So be it. Most humbly, IN HINDI

Dear Sadhak_insight, You have now now forayed into one of the most controversial issues facing the Human Kind, Philosophers and "Godmen", "Sanyasis & Sanyasins", since centuries... And opened up a new and interesting debate...

Sex is among the Primordial,powerful and natural "senses" that have been endowed to the Human by God or Universal Intelligence...the need for this is very simply, to ensure the procreation and sustenance of the Human Race... It has been the experience of the vast majority of humans,that over the centuries,Man has utterly failed to conquer or gain mastery/control over the instinct for sex...(a very small number of exceptions,notwithstanding), let alone controlling it...however philosophers/scientists have discovered ways to channelise this powerful source and put it to the use of the common good...and produce geniuses...in different fields...by using a technique called "the sublimation of the sexual energy"... The Hindus have been pastmasters at this...and have mastered the technique of arousing the Kundalini,usually signalled by the occurence of "urdava retas",and similar visible physical signs...The figurines of Nataraja Half male/half female dancing in ecstacy clearly depicts his urdhava-retas(semi-erection) status... The Hindus do not hold the symbol of Linga & Yoni in reverence for nothing...it will not be out of place to mention here that the Linga is depicted in an erect position,and,not in a flaccid position...WHAT DOES THIS SYMBOLISE ? There is a lot to Hinduism,which,at the risk of repitition (is a way of Life(Dharma),and not a religion)...which our ancients hid from the laymen,for reasons best known to them alone...and did more harm than good... Celibacy,held in high esteem for long,has begun to lose it's high pedastal,as the number of celibates who secretly break all rules and instances where in a kind of vengeance, revel in the worst kind of sexual orgies... Repression & Suppression of the sex energy has been found by Man is almost impossible...The Hindus too were aware of this and "invented" Tantra,and Tantric rites,and many ioff-shoot philosophies, to achieve Godhead...! To my mind the fault plainly lies with our "Gurus","Sants", "Philosophers" and the Learned among us... for deliberately hiding the above facts with detailed explanations to our fellow beings from avery young age itself... Treating Sex Education as taboo is a major cause to arouse the curiosity of the younger generation to learn the wrong things or learn things wrongly from people whoo themselves know next to nothing about the Science of Sex.. The Hindus had under Vyatsayana published a treatise on sex the famous " KAMA SUTRA"...but latterday "learned Hindus?",did little to popularise it and bring it up to a more scientific level,making the study of SEX Taboo...! Well,to be brief,it is in my opinion a WASTE OF VALUABLE TIME AND ENERGY to even think of overcoming SEXUAL THOUGHTS... It will be better,in my humble opinion to channelise these thoughts into socially more productive activities... Wishing you the very best, Yogesh Lajmi.

Question: When sense-objects appear in front of us, then we do not know why we become fickle or weak, what should we do at that time?

Swamiji: One who has learnt to art of swinging the stick (laathi) from the very beginning, he alone can settle scores when faced with the enemy. But when the enemy comes in front prior to acquiring the art of twirling the stick, then you will have to take beating from the enemy! You know these things discussed in satsang (association with holy men), but when pleasures come in front of you, at that time you forget, and those talks are of no use.

"They are all thy allies, my dear, Till hour of trial is not nearby! Gold is purified by fire, Brass goes but black thereby!!" Crisis is a touchstone of friendship. A friend in need, is a friend indeed.

One is learnt thing and the other is known (experienced, realized) thing. That which is known, is real, innate, which never undergoes any transmutation or change (no wavering). A learnt thing remains limited to the intellect level only, it does not reach the Self within. But that which is known (realized) touches the core (Self). As long as a thing does not reach the "Self" level, that thing does not filter down characteristically in man's behaviour as it really should. He whose aim is Paramatma (God) realization, he is never contented by things which are merely learnt. On not being contented, his quest for Truth becomes further intensified. In due course of his search, he gains the experience of the Supreme Truth.

One is "satsang" (Association with Truth with the Holy), and the other is merely anecdote-telling, critical analysis and appreciation of the holy books etc. At many places utterances of holy men, interpretational criticism etc. are available in plenty. But the association of God-Realized great Souls is a rarity. Men of spiritual wisdom were very few even before (in Satya, Treta, Dvapar Yug), but now they are even rarer. Nowadays even students do not properly study the scriptures with requisite care, total concern and right perspective. They appear for the examinations to merely get by. When asked, they are not able to answer. Even that which they have learnt, they are not able to say, then what to speak of this knowledge of Truth. It remains far from their reach. It is my sincere prayer that you understand the deeper and inner nature of Truth, and not be satisfied with show of study.

When objects of sense enjoyment come in front of you, then all heard- and-told talks go by the wayside. There is a story of a Pandit and his cat. He used to tell spiritual tales every night. He had tamed a cat to sit still besides him, while he rested a candle lamp on the cat's head, allowing him to read and recite the sacred stories in the lamp light. If any of the listeners complained about fickleness and instability of their mind, he would say -"Look even this cat sitting quietly and very still is far better than you men." The next day in the midst of the story-telling, a person released a rat in front of the cat. The moment the cat saw the rat, she pounced at the pray, dropping the lamp. Similar is the mental state of human beings. While listening to satsang, they keep the required silence with utmost solemnness, but when objects of enjoyment appear before their senses, they lose their control. Because within there is attraction for money etc., therefore when money comes before them, then it becomes difficult. It is not that the attraction for sense enjoyments was not there before. This attraction was there from the very beginning, but it was supressed. When gold is plated over brass, it appears like gold. Therefore learnt things are like polish or plated, but that which is experienced, known, is solidly rooted within. He who has experience of the Self within, whatever may come in front of him, he will not be swayed, moved and will not waver. In all situations he remains the same at all times.

People consider Paramatma (God) realization to be difficult, in reality it is not difficult; however giving up objects of sense enjoyment and pleasures is difficult. (to be continued)

From "Be Good" in English pg 78 and "Saadhan, Sudha, Sindhu" pg 675 by Swami Ramukhdasji.

--------------------------------------------- HOW TO BE FREE FROM SENSE ENJOYMENTS

"No mind that is lured by sense-objects and engrossed in sensual enjoyments and glory of material possessions can ever enter, O, Partha, the state of contemplation and divine communion transcendental." *

He who is intensely attached to sense-enjoyments and acquisition of material things, cannot even conceive or decide on moving towards God. There is no resolve to turn towards God, and when this resolve is not strong enough, where is the question of God-Realization ?

When one rises above the transitory attractions of sense-objects (the unreal), then God-Realization is not at all difficult. Where is the difficulty in realizing what already is, that which is self-evident, ever present, real, imperishable and eternal? That which already "IS".

So how is one to redeem one's self from the lure of the unreal, the transitory attractions?

Observe the Discipline of Karma Yoga - The Yoga of Action. The Lord has spoken in the Gita about this Yoga in a special way and praised it's glory - "Karmayogo visisyate" (Gita 5:2). The clarity with which Karma Yoga is propounded and explained in the Gita is nowhere else in other scriptural texts.

The purport of Karma Yoga is : to make others happy and expect nothing in lieu thereof. Impart happiness to all - parents, wife, children, siblings, in office, friends, neighbors and everyone that you meet. If you follow this declaration, the lure of the unreal, temporary will give way.

"LET ALL BE HAPPY" - Such an emotion is of extreme value, it is not an ordinary thing. If you wish not to be lured and fickle when sense-objects come before you, then adhere in action to this predominant thought - How to make others happy? How can others be relieved from sorrow and pain? Wherever possible, utilize the resources you have to serve others, as these resources will not always remain with you, and therefore it is better that they are utilized. This sort of expression (bhava) of keen desire and love of serving others, will make it easy to become free from sense enjoyments.

However, if your intention (bhava) is - How can my happiness be safe? How can comfort / relief come to me? How can I receive praise? How can my beliefs be held strong? If such expressions dominate your thinking, you cannot be saved from the lure of the temporary.

As we become more focused on making others happy, the desire for one's own sense enjoyments, will slowly dwindle away of it's own accord, and God Realization will be self-evident.

From: "Be Good" by Swami Ramsukhdasji

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BENEFITS OF A FIRM RESOLVE ï¿½ Not Succumbing to Sense Enjoyments

Question: Until objects of enjoyment do not appear before us, our mind remains firm, that we shall not succumb to them. However we become weak when enjoyments confront us! What should we do?

Swamiji: It is a very good question. The intention to avoid succumbing to sense-enjoyments (Bhoga) is certainly a rare quality, indeed! It is a treasured aspiration. It is true human spirit (manusyataa), to turn down the ties of the world and awaken our relation with God, which in reality is the only solid relation.

Till objects do not come in front of us, our mind remains firm that we will not be entangled in the enjoyments (bhogas). Even having the intention and resolution itself, is a matter of great milestone. It is truly an immense quality to not desire sense enjoyments. It is definitely not an ordinary thing. If there be even a little inclination to give up the world and turn towards God, its fruit will not be fleeting, rather it will be everlasting.

"Svalpamapyasaya dharma traayate mahato bhayaat." (Gita 2:40). Even ten fold gains in wealth or "the kingdom of the Three Worlds" is like a tiny spec in comparison to this firm resolve.

When objects appear before us, we become weak and are easily enticed, so why such is our state? It is because we think of our frailty and easily succumb, out of accumulated bad habits. Having heard in "Satsang" (through good company) and read books, we think of improving, but soon thereafter forget, give up and fall back into our old ways. This habit of reverting to our old ways weakens us. If you have developed good habits such as giving up a bad thing once and for all, or holding fast to a thing that you truly believe and accept, then certainly you would not have been in this miserable plight! Pardon me, do not take it wrong; but this is dilemma indeed! We do not remain stable on the ideas we initially think about. There is not so much vice in the objects or in their acquisitions, as it is in our evil habits. Till there is no firm resolution or determination in you, you will not progress in any field in your life. A very big loss is taking place by spoiling your habits. You will be blessed if you cultivate the habit of remaining firm on ï¿½ "God is mine". Under whatever condition or circumstance, only God is mine. The world can never be mine, and will not be mine even now or forever.

Do not kill the intention which you once harbored in your resolve. Slaying an idea again and again brings about birth and death. Therefore remain firm in your resolve and let the objects of enjoyment come before your sight, but you will not be tempted, nor will you be shaken from your resolve. You will not sip your own spit. By remaining firm on an idea, a force will be generated within, a power will descend. Then you will not suffer from such a plight. People may call you a coward, abuse or condemn you, but remain firm and unaffected.